Getting Back To Normal
by lovejenmorrison
Summary: The Charming family and those they love finally get a chance to settle down and enjoy each other's company. One big happy dysfunctional family. Xx OutlawQueen/Swanthief/Charming and CaptainSwan and Swanqueen friendships. Xx Set a few years after their return from Neverland. Rated T only for potential swearing. This is my first published fanfic so tell me your honest opinion. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Emma sighed anxiously as she sat at the breakfast table. Henry busily ate his Fruitloops as he tried to beat level twenty three of his video game.

"Relax babe," said Neal with an amused smile on his face as he came into the kitchen. He adjusted his tie and kissed Emma on the cheek.

"I am relaxed," she said even though she, herself didn't buy it.

Neal chuckled talking note of Emma's extra strong grip on her spoon. "_Yeah_, the spoon begs to differ."

She rolled her eyes putting down the spoon in her bowl of Cheerios, officially done trying to make herself eat despite her anxiety. "I'm not ready to let her go," Emma admitted quietly.

Neal pulled out the chair next to her and sat down. "I know, neither am I. One moment I can hold her in the palm of my hand, and then I blinked, and she's off to preschool."

"I'm never blinking again," she said with a hint of a smile.

He chuckled. "And Mr. Henry over here," he said a little louder than before trying to pull Henry's attention away from the video game, "is going to into Junior High this year."

Henry looked up from his Gameboy trying not smile at his father's call out but failed. "You're not seriously gonna cry Mom are you?"

Emma laughed lightly. "No I am not."

"Promise no tears?" doubled checked Henry.

"I promise." Sh crossed her fingers behind her back which didn't go unnoticed by Neal who took her hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Okay good, I'll go get Alison." Henry went upstairs to his little sister's room. It was painted a creamy white with baby pink accents. Over her bed was a light pink canopy, fit for any princess. He found her sitting on her bed flipping through his storybook, which she must have snuck into his room to get once again.

"You ready Ali?"

She looked up at his with her big sparkling blue green eyes with a big smile. "Yes!" Alison hopped off the bed and took Henry's hand and followed him downstairs into the living room.

"Wait here okay Ali?" he asked. She nodded and watched her big brother go into the kitchen.

Henry winked at his parents and stood up tall clearing his throat. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Princess Alison on her very first day of preschool!"

Alison came running into the kitchen with excitement eager to show off her first day of school outfit to her mother. "Don't I look pretty Mommy?" She twirled around in her baby blue sundress. Neal had picked out the outfit, right down to shiny black shoes. Her golden blonde hair shimmered in the line of sunlight coming from the windows accenting her bright blue eyes. Her hair fell around her shoulders in loose curls like Emma's. She was gorgeous just like her mother.

It was enough to bring tears to Emma's eyes. She wasn't much a crier but her baby girl was growing up. "Oh Alison you look gorgeous!" said Emma holding back tears as she went over to her daughter.

"Daddy said you'd like it!" said Alison excitedly jumping into Emma's arms as she picked her up.

Emma showered her four year old with kisses, causing Alison to squirm in her arms giggling. "Your daddy has very good taste," she said putting her down.

"You can't forget this," said Henry holding up Alison backpack, a blue and sparkly with Cinderella on it.

Alison put on the backpack and everyone had a good chuckle at the fact that is was practically bigger than her.

There was a knock on the door. "I got it." Neal answered the door to see Snow, David, Regina and Killian standing at the door.

"We couldn't miss the kid's first day of school now could we," explained Snow beaming with excitement. This was their first time being grandparents from the start and they wanted to take full advantage of it.

Neal smiled stepping back letting them come in. Him and Killian exchanged a swift nodded as he came in. Killian never quite got over Emma, and Neal didn't blame him. He wouldn't have either if it was the other way around. Despite that, they had come up with a way to make it work, and that was as good as it was going to get.

"There's my little princess," said Snow hugging Alison.

"Look at my backpack!" She turned around so Snow could admire her Cinderella backpack.

"Wow what a cool backpack."

Charming sat next to Henry at the island who was happily watching Alison run from person to person showing off her dress and backpack.

"So junior high huh? I remember when you were in Mary-Margaret's class."

Henry smiled. "Well that's a good thing, considering that I was in her class for like seventeen years making bird houses."

David laughed, "That is true. But those were some pretty good bird houses."

"They sure do beat Algebra homework."

He chuckled ruffling Henry's hair.

"Alright, everyone stand over here," called Snow pointing in front of the island. "I want to take a picture."

Everyone filled in in front of the island. Emma and Neal were in the middle, with Emma holding Alison. Killian and Regina stood next to Emma and David and Henry crouched down in the middle.

"Everybody say cheese!"

"Cheese!"

Smiling along with them Snow took the picture. "What a great looking family," she commented.

"I wanna see the picture!" Alison wriggled out of Emma's arms and ran over to Snow how bent down to show her the picture. "But you aren't in the picture."

"I know, but everyone I love is in the picture so that's good enough for me." She kissed Alison on top of her head.

Neal looked at the clock. It almost 7:30 and the school bus would be coming soon. "Okay kids! Get all your stuff ready and we'll walk you down to the bus stop."

"Uh Dad?" asked Henry hesitantly as he grabbed his backpack.

"What's up buddy?"

Henry nodded for him to join him in the corner and Neal followed. "What's going on kid?"

"I was wondering if I could walk to school instead of walking. Grace is on the way and…"

Neal smirked. He and Emma were aware that Henry and Grace had a crush on each other. Although him and Emma found the two of them absolutely endearing, neither of them were ready to have "The Talk" with Henry.

"Sure kid, just make sure it's alright with your mom."

Henry sighed and went to find Emma.

Alison happily showed off her Cinderella backpack to Regina. "Do you like it?"

"It's nice, kind of ironic," said Regina slightly amused.

"What does 'ionic' mean?" asked Alison with a frown.

"Don't worry about it. It looks lovely," she said with a smile.

"Thanks!" She twirled around in her dress. "Don't I look like a princess?"

"Princesses have tiaras."

"But I don't have a tiara."

With a flick of her wrist a small golden tiara appeared in Alison's hands. "Wow, how'd you do that!"

"Magic," whispered Regina. "Now you can be a princess."

Alison excitedly put on her tiara and went over to Killian and Emma showing off her newest accessory.

After another ten minutes of chatter and attempting to get everyone out the door, Neal and Emma walked Alison to the bus stop. Henry had left a few minutes early to set off to walk to school.

Emma's heart started beating a mile a minute when she saw the school bus round the corner. "Neal I'm not ready," Emma whispered in Neal's ear.

"She'll be fine Em," he said taking her hand. "She's got your survival genes."

"Who am I gonna snuggle with as I watch Good Morning Storybrooke?"

"Preschool's only three days a week, you two can catch up on Good Morning Storybrooke on Thursday."

Emma cast a glance over to Alison who was busily crouched inspecting a lady bug who had crawled on to the sidewalk. "You do realize that dress and those tights are going to be ruined by the end of the day," she said amused.

Neal shrugged good-heartedly. "At least she looked good for Snow's picture. And she looks absolutely adorable just like her mother."

Emma threw him an incredulous look.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"You are so corny."

"Oh please you love it."

"Love what?" asked Alison finally bored with the lady bug.

"Nothing, you're dad's just trying to be funny."

"I was thinking, I don't really want to go to preschool yet," said Alison cowering behind her mother as the yellow school bus pulled up.

"But don't you want to show everyone at school your pretty dress?" asked Emma turning around so she could face her daughter.

"No I wanted to show _you_ the dress. Can't you and Daddy come with me?"

"You see sweetheart," said Neal stroking his daughter's hair reassuringly. "You're going into preschool which means you're a big girl now and big girls go to school without their parents."

"But if I'm s big kid, I can't snuggle with you and Mommy."

"Oh no, no matter how old you are you can always cuddle with us."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart," said Emma kissing Alison on the cheek.

Alison thought over it for a moment. "Alright I'll go," she decided.

Neal and Emma each gave her a goodbye kiss and watched her get on the school bus.

Neal put his arm around Emma's shoulders as they waved goodbye to Alison. "They grow up so fast," he sighed.

"Yeah, we gotta talk to Regina about making that stop."

Neal chuckled. "Come, we still have some time before work and you and I both could use a cup of coffee."

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

"So**,"** said Grace grabbing her Math book out of her locker and closing it so she could face Henry who was leaned up against the wall. "Your Mom let you walk to school?"

"Yeah, she was a little busy trying to not cry on Ali's first day of preschool."

Grace giggled. "And was she successful?"

Henry chuckled. "Not as successful as she wanted to be, but I have to admit that Ali was making it awfully hard with how cute she looked in her dress."

"Ali is pretty cute." She followed Henry down the hall as they walked to their first class. "What do you think of my outfit, it's not too Junior High try-hard is it?"

Henry took a step back to observe Grace's outfit. She wore blue skinny jeans with a floral printed top. "No, I think it looks nice."

She smiled. "Thanks. You don't look too bad yourself."

He chuckled. "We make a good looking couple," he joked before he even realized what he said. Grace and him both blushed and continued walking to class in silence.

* * *

Regina looked up when she heard a knock on her office door and it open. In stepped Robin Hood along with his irresistible ability to charm his way into her heart. She tried to stop the small smile the spread across her face but did so unsuccessfully.

"What are you doing here? Don't you and your _merry man_ have hunting to do?"

Robin smirked and crossed the room to sit across Regina at her desk. "Actually yes," he said plopping down a brown takeout bag from Granny's onto the desk. "But it only takes one man to hunt down a plain bagel with cream cheese for the mayor." He smiled.

Regina couldn't help but smile. "What, no OJ?" she joked.

Robin shrugged chuckling. "There's unfortunately an OJ shortage at the moment. Terribly inconvenient, I know." Regina laughed

After a comfortable moment of silence, Regina spoke. "So you came all the way down here to deliver a bagel?"

"Now that you say so no. Roland's been asking when I'm gonna finally invite you over for dinner. So Madame Mayor, would you like to join us for dinner? My grandmother's famous shepherd's pie is on the menu."

"I uh," she was rather surprised by the offer. "I guess I could, Henry will be at Emma's for the night."

"Is that a yes?" he asked with a smirk.

"I'll bring dessert?" she asked to answer his question.

Robin smiled standing up to leave. "6 o'clock good for you." She nodded. "See you at six o'clock sharp. Good day Regina."

"Good day Robin." She watched him leave with a smile from ear to ear. And then she realized something. _What on earth was she gonna wear to dinner_?


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: ** thanks for sticking around and staying with this story even though it's taken me forever to update. it's been a little crazy with finals and everything. also thanks for the reviews, favourites, etc. they really motivate me to keep going!

* * *

**Emma** sat behind her desk at the station nervously tapping her pencil on the surface as she watched the clock. It had only been a little bit over an hour since Alison had left for pre-school and Emma was already about explode with anxiousness. It had been a relatively slow morning at the station much to her chagrin. She had hoped there would be something a little bit more exciting to keep her mind of things than a neighbor to call about Pongo's barking.

She just about to call it quits and throw in the towel for doing paper work when she heard the familiar sound of heels clicking against the ground from down the hall. And sure enough, Regina appeared in her doorway.

Regina wore her traditional gray business dress, hair blown out slightly, and the same shade of lipstick she wore every day, but Emma noticed something different about her. Finally, she put her finger on it.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're glowing," said Emma amused.

Regina sighed happily and sat on the edge of the desk taking a minute to figure out what to say. Since there adventures in Neverland, the two of them had been able to put their differences aside and found that the two of them made a great pair as friends. "Guess who stopped by my office this morning," she said trying to contain the ridiculous school-girl grin that always seemed to appear whenever she thought about him.

Emma raised her eyebrows curious.

"Robin."

"Oh, and what did Robin want?"

"He invited me to dinner tonight."

Emma sat up in her chair excited. "Please tell me you said yes."

"Well I couldn't exactly say no."

She rolled her eyes good-heartedly at Regina's attempt at trying to see nonchalant about it. "Oh come on Regina, I know you're excited."

"I am." She pushed herself up off the desk and pretended to be grossly interested in the bouquet of flowers on Emma's desk. "What do I wear?"

"Well certainly not that dress," Emma chimed.

"What's wrong with my dress?"

"Well for one, it's a little boring, and if you want to impress Robin you can't just wear any old dress."

"All my dresses are like this, she said slightly confused as to where Emma was going with the conversation.

"But my dresses aren't."

Regina raised her eyebrows. "You want _me_ to wear one of _your_ dresses? Wouldn't that make me seem kinda…disparate? Greys and blacks are my colour."

Emma scoffed. "Disparate? No. Totally hot? Yes. Come on, a little colour didn't hurt anyone." She gathered up her keys and radio incase all things the town decided to go to hell when she left.

"You're gonna leave work?"

"So far I've gotten a noise complaint about Pongo and if someone can tell the paperboy to stop aiming at the mailbox. I think Storybrooke can handle itself."

Regina thought over it for a minute. "I guess looking at your dresses couldn't hurt."

She laughed following Regina out of the station. "Of course not, I have awesome style."

"Don't flatter yourself Miss Swan." She cast Emma a smirk and followed Emma to her car.

* * *

"**They** gave him horns?" Belle asked incredulously as she turned _Disney's Beauty and the Beast_ book towards the tiny baby boy for him to see the picture, but found he was fast asleep in his baby seat. She had volunteered to watch James while Snow and Charming went over to Emma's for the morning. James, in looks, took after his mother. He had wispy black hair and dark green eyes.

"Well if you ask me James, Rumple certainly makes a better 'beast'," she said putting down the book.

"Reading him the Disney versions again are we?" asked Killian leaning against the wall across from Belle. Emma had convinced him that he needed to find a job other than drinking and bar hopping and advised him to maybe try the library.

Belle shrugged. "They're kinda funny to read."

"The Captain Hook in those versions is less than a dashing rapscallion like me."

She scoffed. "You don't think a big red hat with feather would suit you?"

He rolled his eyes and craned his head to see James in his baby seat. "He doesn't seem to be too interested in the story either. Speaking of which, where are Snow and Charming? They barely let the kid out of their sight for more than a second let alone an entire morning."

"Granny needed their help with something. Snow should be here soon to pick him up."

And almost as if on cue, in walked Snow seeming slightly flustered. "Sorry I'm a little late. The meeting got held up; you know how Granny likes to talk."

Belle chuckled. "James was good all morning. He's been fed, we played peek-a-boo, and now he's fast asleep."

"He does like peek-a-boo," she said smiling as she brushed her son's hair out of his face while he slept.

"Did Swan make it through the morning without being reduced to water works?" chimed Hook with a lopsided grin.

Snow rolled her eyes.

"What?" asked Killian innocently. "Little Alison nearly brought me to tears with that dress, I wouldn't expect anything less from Emma."

"Have you talked to David yet about taking up some shifts at the station?" asked Snow changing the subject.

"Why? I'm working here." Hook said slightly confused.

"Yeah, you're doing a hell of a job," mumbled Belle under her breath casting a glance over at the stack of uncatalogued books that were starting to take over the front desk.

"Sorry I don't work at lightning speed. I'm short one hand," he said nodding toward his hook.

Snow shook her head, "well the offer is still there if you want to take it," she said picking up James in his baby seat. She turned to Belle. "Thank you once again for watching him."

"Anytime." Smiling, she watched Snow leave.

* * *

**Regina** sat on Emma's bed watching as Emma rummaged through her closet for a suitable dress for Regina to wear.

Emma and Neal's room was rather large. It was very modern like her apartment back in Boston, making it seem like it didn't quite fit into the charming town of Storybrooke. It was painted a creamy white with light blue accents. Next to the closet was the vanity that Gepetto had made as a wedding gift to Emma. Its surface was cleared off except for a few hair elastics and hairbrush. Emma was never one to take the time and properly apply her makeup.

"You know," said Regina feeling her stomach twist in knots of nerves, "maybe this isn't such a good idea."

Emma peeked her head out of the closet with an amused, skeptical smile. "Oh please Regina, you'll be fine. Here," she said tossing Regina dark cranberry dress, "try this on."

Regina held up the dress to have a look at it. She noted the colour. "Dark cranberry…very me wouldn't you say?"

"What'd you think," asked Emma kicking aside on of Alison's toys that had ended up in her closet, "I'd pick out a bubble gum pink dress with sparkles?"

"Well…"

Emma rolled her eyes good-heartedly. "Just go try the dress on."

Regina threw Emma a look and went into the master bathroom.

"So are you gonna cook anything to bring over to his place?" asked Emma from the bedroom sitting on the bed playing with the fringe of the blanket.

"Dessert, I'm thinking my specialty, apple turnovers." She popped her head from out behind the door, adding with a smirk, "sans the sleeping curse."

Emma scoffed rolling her eye. "I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

Regina zipped up the zipper in the back and walked out. "What do you think?" She did a 360 spin showing off the dress to Emma. The dark cranberry dress hugged her figure nicely without giving too much. It was classy yet casual enough for dinner.

"Wow," Emma raised her eyebrow impressed. "I have good taste. With one of your blazers, that'll look perfect."

She crossed the room to look at herself in the floor length mirror. "Hm, maybe cranberry can be my new colour."

"So I'm guessing this dress is a yes for you?"

"I'd say so yes," she said smiling turning towards Emma. She glanced at the clock. "It's almost time for the city council meeting. I gotta get my notes together."

"Get changed I'll drive you back," offered Emma.

* * *

**David** watched amused as he watched Snow for the third time in a row try to get the icing design on the sugar cookie just right. James watched his mother intently from highchair.

"They don't have to be perfect," chuckled David.

Snow looked up at David with a scoff. "Of course they do! They're for dinner tonight at Emma's and Alison loves her cookies."

"Ali's four, not a food critic."

"Four, yes, but she expects her grandma's cookies perfect." She placed the last silver dollop of frosting on the cookie with a smile. "There, all done." She held up one of the pink frosted flower shaped cookie.

"Perfect," he said with a smile. "Now will you please sit down and relax? You've been going since morning and James misses you." David stroked the soft wisps of hair away from James' eyes.

Snow smiled at her son, walking around the table and sitting down in between David and James. "He was sound asleep when I picked him up this morning. Belle was reading him some stories."

David chuckled. "The two of them seem to get along well. And Hook?"

Snow rolled her eyes good-heartedly. "Dashing as always. I told him about the job offer at the station."

"And…"

"He seemed interested. I'm sure Emma will be getting a visit from him soon."

* * *

"**I** see the sheriff's office is swamped with cases." Emma looked up to see Hook leaning against the doorframe watching her with an amused glint in his eyes as she attempted to keep the pot of flowers on her desk a float.

She jumped slightly startled, unaware of his presences causing the pot to come crashing back down on the desk with a rather loud crack. "_Hook_."

"Oh please don't let me interrupt," he chuckled pushing himself off the door way and sitting down across from her.

Emma shot him an incredulous look. "Aren't you supposed to be working at the library with Belle?"

Hook shrugged dusting off some of the dirt that spilled from the pot off the edge of the desk. "Lunch break."

"And what can I do for a pirate on his 'lunch break'?" asked Emma.

Hook bit his tongue in efforts not to let out his essential, cheeky response. "Your father sent me over here actually. He so cleverly deduced that perhaps working at the library wasn't the best fit and that my _skills_ could be used elsewhere."

"So you want a job here at the station," deduced Emma.

"A couple shifts at the station here and there wouldn't hurt."

Emma sighed. "I suppose not. However working at the station would require a change in wardrobe." She smiled raising her eyebrow.

Hook's smile dropped. "Oh that's just bad form Swan. What's a pirate without leather?"

She giggled shrugging her shoulders. "Do you want the job or not?"

He stared back at Emma sizing her up. She wasn't going to give it up. "Looks like I'm going to have to go shopping," he sighed.

Emma smiled. "Good, take Neal with you. You two could use some bonding time."

Hook raised his eyebrows. "Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Swan, no. Men don't go shopping together."

"Please, I'd make me happy." It was a cheap card to play but it really did make her happy when Neal and Hook spent some bonding time together. The two of them had come to have a pretty good relationship and she loved getting them to bond every opportunity she got.

"Did you really just play that card?"

"I did, yes."

"Tell him I'll be going sometime after dinner."

She smiled content. "Good. You start tomorrow morning."

Hook nodded looking up at the clock. "It's almost twelve o'clock; don't you have a pint sized princess to pick up from preschool?"

"Yes I do," Emma said packing up her things and taking out her car keys. "See you tonight then?"

Hook nodded and followed Emma out of the station.


End file.
